Modeling relationship between runoff and soil properties in dry-farming lands, NW Iran

Abstract. The process of transformation of rainfall into runoff over a catchment is very complex and exhibits both temporal and spatial variability. However, in a semi-arid area this variability is mainly controlled by the physical and chemical properties of the soil surface. Developing an accurate and easily-used model that can appropriately determine the runoff generation value is of strong demand. In this study a simple, an empirically based model developed to explore effect of soil properties on runoff generation. Thirty six dry-farming lands under follow conditions in a semi-arid agricultural zone in Hashtroud, NW Iran were considered to installation of runoff plots. Runoff volume was measured at down part of standard plots under natural rainfall events from March 2005 to March 2007. Results indicated that soils were mainly clay loam having 36.7% sand, 31.6% silt and 32.0% clay, and calcareous with about 13% lime. During a 2-year period, 41 natural rainfall events produced surface runoff at the plots. Runoff was negatively (R²=0.61, p<0.001) affected by soil permeability. Runoff also significantly correlated with sand, coarse sand, silt, organic matter, lime, and aggregate stability, while its relationship with very fine sand, clay, gravel and potassium was not significant. Regression analysis showed that runoff was considerably (p<0.001, R²=0.64) related to coarse sand, organic matter and lime. Lime like to coarse sand and organic matter positively correlated with soil permeability and consequently decreased runoff. This result revealed that, lime is one of the most important factors controlling runoff in soils of the semi-arid regions.